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The report issued by the clerk was silent on personal contributions to any campaign, which resulted in a significant re-write of the online version of that article and a correction published in print the following day. We also personally apologized to the clerk, general manager of corporate services and, earlier this week, the mayor.

We have since learned, through a variety of sources including the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, that making any statement on personal contributions is not within the clerk’s responsibility. The act says the report only has to deal with contributions made under Sec. 88.9, specifically excluding Sec. 88.9.1, which creates the limit on personal contributions.

In other words, while the province created a rule that limits how much you can contribute to your own campaign, no one is charged with the responsibility of verifying you respected that limit. That only happened because Clement admitted she contributed about $4,000 more to her campaign than allowed to under one interpretation of Sec. 88.9.1.

Pause for a moment to reflect on that— were it not for her own decision to share the information, it’s quite likely no one would have looked into this question at all. Why?

We’ve shown the clerk’s department did not, as required, issue certificates to all candidates outlining this personal contribution limit. Any other math done by anyone else does not produce that number— only the clerk does. The ministry is clear those had to be issued by Sept. 25.

As we’ve stumbled through this, our intent has been to work in the public interest, which is two-fold.

First, did the city clerk complete the duties as required during the campaign? Had they been completed as required, the certificates confirming personal contribution limits would have been issued.

Second, was Clement’s over-contribution to her campaign inadvertent? This is a crucial question and one that, in my opinion, only a judge can conclusively determine and decide. Anything but a judge’s clear statement it was inadvertent will not silence doubters and unbelievers.

Things will have gone very wrong at the end of the process currently underway if Clement loses her seat due to the clerk’s failure to complete her responsibilities during the campaign.

It’s in the public interest to ensure appropriate measures are taken at city hall to ensure this does not happen again.